Impact of Gaming Disorder on First Episode Psychosis Patients’
Evolution: Protocol for a Multicentered Prospective Study
Abstract
Aims: The objective of this study is to underline the impact of Gaming
Disorder on the clinical evolution of patients with First Episode
Psychosis. The specific aims of the study are to determine the
prevalence of gaming disorder among those patients and assess the
consequences of gaming on their clinical trajectory. Methods: This is a
prospective multicenter cohort study that will enroll 800 patients
diagnosed with a first episode psychosis, with a follow-up period of up
to 3 years. Using a systematic screening procedure for gaming disorder,
the clinical staff will assess patients gaming habits at admission and
every 6 months thereafter. Information from patients’ medical records
will also be extracted using the same timeframe. Results: The patients’
characteristics at admission and during follow-up will be presented in
the form of descriptive statistics and compared between different
subgroups of patients using uni- and multivariate logistic regression
models. Repeated measures ANCOVA will also be performed to analyze the
impact of gaming disorders on patients’ clinical path as assessed by the
Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Clinical Global Impression
scale, considering covariates such as psychiatric diagnosis,
pharmacological treatment, age, sex/gender, and duration of untreated
psychosis. Conclusion: These findings will guide the development of
prevention, detection, and treatment strategies for the comorbidity
between gaming disorder and first episode psychosis, ultimately
improving the patients’ recovery.